Mail router issues

[Robert Laing <rlaing@xxxxxxxxx>]

We have a 8.5 Domino server on v6r1 that does nothing other than serve as 
a relay host for an iSeries based forms software package.  Occasionally 
throughout the day, batch jobs run that take a spool file, merge it with 
an overlay, create an email and relay it through the Domino server out to 
it's recipient.

This past month end, one job triggered about 600+ emails to be relayed 
through the Domino server.  The server routed the first couple hundred 
then slowed down considerably, sending about one email every 5 minutes. 
Doing a show server showed 435 pending emails.  Doing a tell router quit 
and load router opened the flood gates and all 435 emails routed in the 
next 5 minutes or so.

Primary question is why the router would slow/hang and then what can we do 
about it...

Any thoughts ???

Thanks,
Bob